Thirty Silver Coins
by WilesGirl
Summary: Mulder and Scully are assigned to a murder and are caught in the middle of a bizarre feud.
1. Default Chapter

Bittersweet Memories: Chpt 1

Saturday 10:48 p.m.

Lyons, Indiana

Sitting in my nearly new BMW convertible is the woman of my dreams. Her short, blood-red hair is tucked behind her ears as she waits for me to return from the restroom. I get in the car and asked her if I had missed much from the movie. She looks at me with her beautiful eyes and responds, "Just the part where Goose dies from aborting the plane" The memory of that scene flashes in my mind and I remember it exactly. I love the old movie favorites the drive in plays late on Saturday nights, but tonight was special. Tonight after Top Gun, I am asking Amber to marry me.

I carefully go over each detail in my mind; the words I'm going to say, the place we are going, the reaction I will receive. Each detail accounted for, each word thought of, each second drawing closer to the one moment that I have been so impatiently waiting for.

Driving out to abandoned park on the outskirts of town, Amber looks at me with a smile. I feel my nerves creeping up on me, this is where we had our first date two years ago. I escort her to the swings on the north side. They squeal while we slowly rock back and forth, holding each others hand and looking up at the clear diamond sky. I couldn't have picked a more illustrious night that will forever change the way we live. The overgrown bushes brush against our backs as we hold each others hand sitting in our swings. I bend over and kiss our hands. I am trembling a bit, but calm myself down.

It's getting late, already past 2 a.m. I decide it's now or never. I begin, "Amber we should get going." She smiles and nods her head, but before she gets out of her swing, I stop her, "Wait." Getting down on one knee I can feel my heart jump into my throat.

"Amber LeAnn Marx, will you marry me Thomas Joel Keen?" I pull out the ring that was hiding in my coat pocket and take her left hand while waiting for her reply. Tears are flowing from her face as she has her head looking down at her pants. She looks up at me in fear.

"Tom,. . .I can't"

Watching her cry, my heart sinks to the bottom of my chest. I feel crushed. Emotions flare throughout my body, along with a string of cuss words and questions mixed together, confusion and agony attack me all at once.

"Why?" I asked, "Why can't you marry me?" The pain is overwhelming and I try to calm myself.

Wiping the tears from her cheek, she settles herself before speaking. "I was afraid of telling anyone this." She pauses for a moment then continues, "Remember when I told you about my boyfriend during high school, David, and how we were in love?"

I nod my head and anger begins to swell in me as I remember the horrid stories she told me of what he made her do. The witchcraft he was into that he made her participate in. I say nothing and allow her to continue.

"One night shortly after high school, we got trashed and went to a place back in Magic Lake. I thought we were going to the make-out grounds, but we took another path that led deep into the woods. He promised that this would be the best night of our lives, so I followed him on the path. We came to an old shack with the doors gone and the windows cracked.

She puts her head down and begins to sob and I put my arms around hers trying to comfort her. After a few minutes in silence she begins again.

"David asked me if we would be together forever. I, of course, said yes. I thought that this was who I was to be with. His eyes were cold that night; I knew he was up to something even though I was still a little trashed. With the fire lit, he took my hand and said we should be together forever then, and then pulled out an incantation of some sort. We had done simple spells before like lighting and putting out candles, but nothing like this. Taking my hand we said the incantation together making a deal with the dark world. To seal the deal we had to sacrifice the blood of an innocent animal, so we used a stray cat. We also had to use our blood to finish it off. We cut our right hands and tightly squeezed them together over the fire so our blood would drip together into the flames. Suddenly the fire went out and the shack began to shake. The next thing I knew, I woke up next to David with the sun shining though the windows.

At first, I didn't realize anything had happened, until he started becoming more abusive toward me. He started blowing up over small things. Once, I went with my friend Kyle to buy David a gift, and David had been following me around. When David caught me with Kyle he pushed me to the ground calling me a whore. I became angry, but David was uncontrollable, he began pushing Kyle yelling at him. Saying how he should stay away from his whore girlfriend. I told him he was overreacting, but he slapped me for raising my voice.

After a few months, I couldn't live with David's temper. He became mad over everything I did, his world revolved around me and who I was with. I decided to end our relationship. I thought he took the break up well until after four months when I began dating Jerrad. David showed up once to my house unexpectedly one night after Jerrad dropped me off. He warned me to stay away from Jerrad and that if I didn't he would have to pay the consequences for being with me.

His breath reeked of alcohol, so I decided to blow off the situation since he was drunk. I figured he didn't know what he was talking about. Eight months later, Jerrad asked me to marry him. I accepted, but two days later Jerrad was in a automobile accident. His car was hit by an on-coming Semi-truck. That night, I received a phone call from David...all he said was, "I warned you, I am always watching."

"Why didn't you go to the police?" I asked. "They could have helped you, they still can!" "NO! If I turn to the police, he'll do something. He always knows where I am at. Every time I have picked up the phone to call the police, the line goes dead. Every time I have told someone about this, they have died. Now I fear I have put you into danger, I think I have doomed you."

"Doomed me? I think we need to go to the police and tell them what you told me."

I watch her get up and dramatically repeat, "No." I hold her in my arms and agree we won't right now, but ask her to think about it. She agrees with a painful sob and I hold her until she calms. I decide to leave and go back to my place.

"Let's go home," I suggested and we walk to the car.

_Peering through the window, he watches them enter his house. Rampant thoughts run through David's head as he glares at Tom holding Amber. He adjusts the way he is sitting in order to get a better view, but he begins to lose his balance. Gripping the limb tightly, he maintains his poise and continues to watch them through-out the night. Waiting for his chance; the perfect opportunity. _

Sunday 8:30 a.m.

"Beep, Beep, Beep!" Rolling over, Tom hits the snooze button and opens his eyes. His vision blurs for a second, but he regains his sight quickly. "I'm taking a shower, I'll wake you when I'm done."

"Remember we have to be at the lunch early to set up," I reminded him as he slipped into the bathroom. I turn over on my side and fall asleep.

Opening the shower curtain, Tom allows the hot water to heat up. Lying his pajamas on the counter behind him he grabs a towel from the cabinet and gets into the shower. Washing his thick-brown headed hair, then his 5'9 masculine frame, and then rinses off, dries himself, and quickly dresses. He knows he should be done by 9:00 which is quickly approaching in 15 minutes. "Time to shave and sharpen up," Tom mumbles to himself. He quickly fills the sink with water and lathers his face for the quick shave. He decides to "touch-up" with his electric razor. His hands slippery from the shaving cream, the razor slides from his hands into the translucent water. He reaches for the cord to unplug . . .

_Watching him through the bathroom window, the opportune time has come, the moment I had been waiting for all night._ _"Moleste commissum abstulo." He watches as Tom reaches for the chord. . ._

Grabbing the cord, Tom stubbles over his dog and catches himself with his hands in the water with the razor. He hits his head on the mirror above the sink while an abnormal amount of electricity runs through his limp body.

The alarm sounds again, and I awake myself to see it is now 10:30. "Why didn't he wake me up" I utter under her breath. . .

Immediately the night stand phone rings. "That's probably the business people wondering where we are."

"Hello?"

_"I told you I was always watching. Click."_

Jumping up, I hear Chopper, Tom's dog whimpering in the bathroom. "Tom?" Opening the bathroom door, I cautiously peer in afraid of what my eyes are going to come across. I scream when I discover Tom's dead body in the bathroom and call 911."

An ambulance and a few police cars race to the Keen residence, finding Amber holding Tom in her arms. The paramedics check his heart beat and notice that there is none. They scurry to get him in the ambulance and to the nearest hospital. Unable to move, Amber watches as they take Tom and police remain with her to ask a few questions.

"What happened?" asked the Sheriff.

Amber looks at him, almost unable to get a word out, but she regains her emotions and informs him how she found Tom. Thinking of the phone call she received, she decides to mention that detail and pushes the horrid memory aside for the moment and continues hoping no-one noticed her slight pause.

As tears begin falling from her swollen eyes, Sheriff Bargs decides that's enough for her right now.

"Thank you for you time Ms. Marx, we'll keep looking into the situation. Ma'am, I'm truly sorry for what happened," Sheriff Bargs says with a gentle nod and walks out the door.


	2. Tyre

Tyre chpt 21

Monday 8:23 a.m.

Washington D.C.

Stepping off the elevator, Agent Dana Scully walks through the musty hallway toward her partner's office. Rampant thoughts fill her mind of what he has planned for the day, will it be another alien abduction story or will it be some form of a "paranoia" case he has dug up. She enters their crowded office to find her partner, Agent Fox Mulder, sitting behind his desk reviewing a file.

"Good morning Scully," he greets her with a grinning smile on his face."

"Good morning, what kind of case are you reviewing?" Scully asks even though worries clutter her mind, wondering if it is another case of "little green men."

"I found this file on our desk when I came in this morning. From what I have been reading, it appears there have been a few unsolved deaths that have taken place in a small town in Indiana," Mulder pauses and waits for his partner's response.

"A few deaths? What does that have to do with the X-files, Mulder?" She questions him. Mulder observes his short red-headed partner's facial expressions. She seemed confused to why they were assigned to the case, especially since they investigate only unexplained phenomenon.

"It appears that these deaths are linked to a specific woman, Amber Marx."

"Was Ms. Marx at the scene of the deaths?" Scully inquires while she takes a seat across from Mulder.

"She was on site at the death of her boyfriend slash fiancee yesterday morning," he informs her.

"And the other deaths? Was she at the other death scenes too?"

"Well, there was only one other death," Mulder began, "She was engaged four years ago to a Jerrad Jakeston, but he died shortly after they were engaged. But that's not why we are on the case, we are on the case for the manner in which they died and the evidence at the scene of the crime." he concludes.

"Which is?" Raising her eyebrows, Scully is unsatisfied with the case so far.

"Both deaths occurred shortly after they became engaged with Amber, also; both men were killed in freak accidents. The first, Mr. Jerrad Jakeston was killed by a head on with a Semi-truck.

"What's so freakish about being an automobile accident?"

"Freakish because he was at a rest stop on his way home from a fishing trip. The second, a Mr. Thomas Keen was killed yesterday morning from electrocution by his razor." Noticing her skepticism toward the case evidence, he continues, "Both times police found a silver coin near the body." Pulling out a picture from the folder, Mulder hands his partner a picture of the coin. She observes the coin for a few moments before commenting on it.

"This isn't a coin currently used, from what I can distinguish, it has ancient Greekinscribed onto it, but I can't give you much more until I have a better picture," she looks at it intently trying to make out the words, trying to decrypt the language she once learned during a college course long ago. Giving up on the blurred picture, Scully looks at Mulder with interest, "And they found one of these silver coins at both deaths sites?"

"Yes, within ten feet of both bodies. Pack your bags Scully, looks like we are going to find out if 'there is more than corn in Indiana.'"

Monday 5:20 p.m.

Lyons, Indiana

"I guess this is home for next few days,"

"There's not much choice, we could stay at the Holiday Inn or the Holiday Inn," Scully responded with a hint of annoyance. "Mulder, I reviewed the file and noticed that Amber became religious shortly after she met Jerrad."

"Are you suggesting her religious background is the reason these deaths have occurred?"

"No, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to check into the reasons she decided to become religious and why."

The beaten down house on the dead end of Cass Street had a gathering of police officers as the agents pulled into the driveway. Many eyes stare at the agents wondering who they are and why they are there. Getting out of the car, Lieutenant Deputy Docks questions Mulder and Scully when they step out of their rental car.

"Ah, you must be Special Agent Fox Mulder and Dana Scully," a voiced boomed from behind them in the doorway of the house. As he stepped down the cemented stairs, Sheriff Bargs welcomed the Agents to the case.

"That would be us, Sheriff Bargs," Mulder confirms.

"Do you have any ideas that might help us? The facts don't seem to add up or make sense." worry crept into the Sheriff's voice.

"We have a few theories but nothing concrete, do you mind if we scoop out the house?" Scully asked ready to begin the investigation.

"Of course not. We haven't found anything suspicious, just this silver coin." Sheriff Bargs replied pulling out a plastic bag marked: EVIDENCE containing the coin. Noticing Agent Scully's interest, Sheriff Bargs hands her the evidence.

"This is an ancient coin used as a type of currency around the time of Christ. This particular coin has great significance to the Christian and Jewish religions. On the front is a portrait of the Phoenician chief deity, Baal, and on the back is an Egyptian eagle. It's right claw rests on a ships rudder which represents the great ports," Scully pauses for a moment before continuing. Her brain scrambles to decipher the inscription.

"Do you know what the inscription says?" Mulder asks with interest.

The combination of her own religious background and a class from college, Scully reveals its meaning, "I believe it says, 'Tyre the Holy and Inviolable.' If I am correct, Tyre was a Phoenician city where this was issued."

Mulder's curiosity interrupts Scully, "Why would this coin be significant to Christian and Jews?"

"According to scripture, Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty silver coins. Most of which were suppose to be Shekels of Tyre," she answers.

Satisfied, Mulder turns back to the Sheriff with a few questions. A small group of deputy's gathered around him for the interrogation. Confused faces surround Mulder but he continues with the questions while Scully decides to investigate on her own.

Approaching the house, Scully is not sure what she will find. It was a nice home on the inside, well kept and very clean. Each room smelled of oranges probably to hide the smell of the dog on the furniture. Scully reaches the staircase which lead to the master bedroom and bathroom where Tom Keen had been electrocuted. Her doctor instincts start to kick in while she observes the bathroom. Ducking under the caution tape she enters the room. Blood stains remain untouched from where Tom hit his face on the sink. Splatters of small blood drops are dried on the white, floor tiling next to the sink. Putting on her white latex gloves, Scully looks over the scene hoping to find clues that these small town folk over-looked or wouldn't think of checking. Her blue eyes scan over each object in the room. The sun shines brightly through the window onto her intense red hair. She turns her face into the beam of light and looks out the window. A tree is the only thing in sight of the small backyard. Glancing down, she detects a gray dust-like residue on the windowsill.

"This is a pretty nice bathroom," Mulder interrupts her with the Sheriff behind him.

Turning around Scully asks, "Sheriff Bargs, did you notice this residue on the windowsill?"

The Sheriff's eyebrows rise with interest and he shifts his focus to the pane, "No, we must have missed it."

"Let's run a toxicology scan on this dust and find out what it is and where it came from," Scully instructs them.

Mulder enters the bathroom without noticing anything unusual. Scully turns to him, waiting for a bizarre explanation of the events, but he says nothing. The agents watch the Sheriff walk back down the steps and they enter in the master bedroom where the bed is unmade.

"Mulder, this is obviously not an X-file. All the evidence seems substantial enough to make a substantial murder case," implies the red head skeptic.

Mulder nods his head in agreement, but as he turns around he notices the phone. He focuses attention to the cord phone that was off it's ringer.

"Well I suppose we'll head out," announces the Sheriff who returned to the agents.

"Did you or one of your officers use the phone?" Mulder asks.

"No, we each have two-way talkers for calling out. Why?" Bargs curiosity arises. He, too, notices the phone off the ringer. His face blushes with embarrassment because of the important details his enforcers neglected to discover.

"Can you get the phone records for the past month coming in and out of this house for me Sheriff?" Mulder politely asks.

"Sure, I can give it to you tomorrow if you stop by the station," nodding his head, the Sheriff exits through the door and down the steps.

"I don't think this is a murder case, Scully. Why would Amber murder her fiancée's?"

"She might have a phobia of commitment, perhaps this is just a game to her. There are some cults where women often see themselves more powerful than men and according to what they believe, must sacrifice her partner. These cult followers worship Jezebel who overpowered Ahab," Scully reinforces her murder theory.

"But in the end, didn't Ahab re-gain his power and kill Jezebel?" Mulder argues.

Irritated by her partner's ignorance she questions Mulder. "What do you suggest, what is your theory?"

A grin appears on his face, he waited for her to ask him that question. He formulates a paranormal theory then relies on Scully's scientific background. A background she easily could have entered along with her medical background, yet her interest remains with him in his quest for the truth. He values her opinion greatly, in fact, she is the only one he trusts. He bent his one rule: trust no one, for her. For the six years they have worked together they have trusted in only each other. Through the loss of her sister, the death of her sister, the death of his father, and her abduction and near death experience with cancer, they remain each other's constants on their quest to find the truth about aliens and Mulder's abducted sister.

"I think there is something that we are overlooking...something simple. Let's go back to the Inn and review the evidence found. My room with pizza, your choice."


	3. One Wish

One Wish: 1Chapter 3

_I watch her carry her overnight bags into her friend's house. Oh how I want to jump out and kidnap her, forcing her to come with me, to fulfill our fate. I hate reminding myself that the time is not right, that I must wait a little longer before I can seize her. I have waited far too long to feel her warm body, her moist lips, her hands in my hair. Any man who dares to take her from me again will suffer a more painful, more drawn out death. For now, I'll wait in my bushes and watch her every move._

"Jill? I'm here," Amber announces walking into the house with night bags in hand. She places the bags on the kitchen table. She hears a tv in a room near by.

"Amber, you're here!" the long browned haired girl greets Amber with a smile and hug. "I am so sorry. Come, sit down and I'll make you something to eat."

"Thanks, but I'd rather not eat. I'm sorry, I think I am going to bed," Amber declines the offer.

Eager to comfort her, Jill asks, "Can I do anything for you at all?" Nodding her head no, Amber takes her stuff into the spare bedroom where long and hard sobs are heard all night.

11:041 Holiday Inn

(Knock, knock) "Doors open." shouts Mulder relaxing on his bed to Scully. Carrying a pizza, she enters through his door and walks toward the bed. "Mmm, supreme, good pick Scully," he says while savoring over the smell. Both had forgotten how hungry they were from not eating all day until the pizza had arrived. It felt good to relax for a few moments, even if they were going to discuss the case.

"Mulder, I've been thinking about Mr. Keen's death. There has to be a good amount of electricity to kill a healthy, well-built, grown man," began Scully. "I think that Amber used something else to electrocute her fiancée and then hid the evidence."

"I don't know Scully, I think we are missing something simple still. Something I hope to find when we talk to Amber tomorrow. However, I have been thinking about the cult thing you mentioned. I think you aren't far off, I think there is definitely something amiss in the manner in which they died."

"Are you agreeing that it is a murder case?" Scully enquires. Her differences between her thoughts, which were more scientific more concrete, and his more out of this world theories made their partnership more unique and their bond, strong.

"Not quite," his face becomes firm, "I think there is a connection of some sort of cult or witchcraft, but I still don't think Amber committed murder."

It's 1:30 a.m. according to the clock next to Mulder's bed, they have been up for nearly twenty-four hours. "I'm going to perform an autopsy on Tom Keen's body tomorrow and see if anything comes up," Scully yawns before walking to her room. "Goodnight Mulder."

"Night."

(Amber's Room)

"Oh dear Lord, please forgive me," is the only thing I can say while I cry and kneel beside my bed. I hold my cross close to me hoping, it will bring me closer to my Savior. I convince myself that he is my rock, my shield, my strength, but my doubts toy with my emotions. 'How could there be a God after all this? Why didn't he intervene with this disaster?!' I close my eyes and hope that when I open them, I have awakened from a long nightmare. Hoping to wake up to a world where I can fall in love and live happily ever after. Or is that too much to ask for: To be happy and live in peace.

"Amber?" A voice interrupts my thoughts. I turn to see Jill's six year old daughter standing in my doorway. Her nightgown is far too large for her tiny, short frame. She tucks her stuffed bunny under her arm and comes toward me.

"Will you read me a story, like when you used to?" Her innocence was undeniable. I wipe my tears secretly hoping she wouldn't ask why I am sad. I remember when I would come over and Angie's eyes would become so wide and she would run into my arms. I was like the Aunt she never had. Taking Angie into my arms and carry her back to her room. Laying her back in bed, I ask her which book she wants me to read.

"Aladdin, with the Gene and the magic carpet," her eyes beamed with excitement. I remember how this is one of her favorite tales, that and Beauty and the Beast. I lie with her in the bed with the book in my hand. By the time I finish, she is fast asleep. Afterwards, I begin to reflect on the book. If only I had three wishes. My first wish would be that I never went out with David. Then my Prince Charming could sweep me off my feet and we could fly to a far off place on our magic carpet. Oh, if I could only have ONE wish, my life would be much simpler. I wouldn't have to worry about who would be the next person murdered. Maybe I should give in, go to David and be his bride. At least it would put the murders to stop and no one else would be harmed. I know he is watching, he must see my pain, my tears. My eyes become heavy and I fall asleep by Angie's bed.


End file.
